Average Concentrations Of Formaldehyde Research Articles

Spatial modeling of air pollution in Kharkiv city


 
 
 One of the most pressing problems facing cities, which negatively affects public health. There is a global practice of online monitoring of the content of pollutants in the air of settlements and informing the population about dangerous periods of increased pollution concentrations for certain categories of diseases and the population as a whole. It is also likely that one of the factors of pollution spread is the landscape differentiation of the city’s territory. The purpose of the study presented in this article is to develop statistical and cartographic models of the spatial distribution of air pollutants within the city of Kharkiv and to establish the relationship between the degree of air pollution and types of urban landscapes. Methods. Based on the analysis of the main methodological approaches and tasks of cartographic modeling of the spatial distribution of air pollution, the study substantiates the choice of the modeling method in this study; the features of a large city as an object of cartographic modeling of air pollution are assessed. Results. Based on the results of long-term monitoring by the Kharkiv Regional Center for Hydrometeorology, a statistical analysis of the results of the maximum and average content of pollutants in the atmosphere of Kharkiv was made and the spatial distribution of air pollution in Kharkiv (including (dust, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde) was modeled, and patterns of pollution distribution were identified according to landscape types. Conclusions. In general, the spatial analysis of pollutant concentrations in the territories of Kharkiv showed that, in terms of maximum concentrations, the southeastern part of Kharkiv is most affected by carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and formaldehyde. The reason for this is the large area of industrial facilities. The northwestern part of the city has the highest concentrations of dust and sulfur dioxide. There is a lowering of the relief in the floodplain type of landscape and dense development. Intensive traffic and lowered relief (floodplain landscape) cause high average concentrations of dust, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide in the southern part of the city. Nitrogen dioxide concentrations exceed the TLK in the northwest. The reason is the lowering of the relief on the outskirts of the city (floodplain landscape). The central part of the city has a high average concentration of formaldehyde. In general, a pattern of high concentrations of pollutants was found on the floodplains of the Lopan and Kharkiv rivers, with the lowest concentrations confined to watershed types of terrain between the Kharkiv and Lopan rivers and the Udy and Lopan rivers.
 
 

Health Risk Assessment of Indoor Formaldehyde Exposure in Facilities for Medically Vulnerable People

A health risk assessment was conducted using indoor formaldehyde concentrations measured during a four-year period from 2019 to 2022 for 322 facilities within Busan Metropolitan City. In the facilities, the average concentration of formaldehyde was 26.7 <i>μg</i>/m3 for general hospitals, 27.4 <i>μg</i>/m3 for nursing hospitals, 17.8 <i>μg</i>/m3for daycare centers, 42.9 <i>μg</i>/m3 for postpartum care centers, and 14.1 <i>μg</i>/m3 for elderly care facilities. As for the health risk of formaldehyde, workers in hospitals, daycare centers, postpartum care centers, and elderly care facilities had ECR (excess cancer risk) values of 3.54 × 10-5, 2.84 × 10-5, 6.84 × 10-5, and 1.86 × 10-5 for CTE (central tendency exposure), respectively. Based on the Busan City ordinance seven out of 322 facilities in this study were found to be non-compliant. When the risk was calculated for individual data according to the exposure of workers in each facility, 303 ECR values (94%) exceeded 1.0 × 10-5. If excess cancer risk is calculated by assuming a gradual change in formaldehyde concentration, the current maintenance standard (70 <i>μg</i>/m3) is insufficient to provide appropriate safety for workers, patients and residents. Therefore, higher stringent values than 50 <i>μg</i>/m3 are required to obtain indoor air quality standards for formaldehyde that meet an ECR of 1.0 × 10-4.

Probabilistic Prediction Models and Influence Factors of Indoor Formaldehyde and VOC Levels in Newly Renovated Houses

Rapid urbanization has promoted house renovations and refurbishment in urban and rural cities. Indoor pollutants emitted through renovations and refurbishment processes have raised public concerns owing to their adverse effects on human health. In the present study, the sources of formaldehyde and specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are used to model the health effects associated with exposure to formaldehyde and specific VOCs and the loading factors of building materials for newly renovated homes. The present study is carried out to identify the sources of formaldehyde and specific VOCs in newly renovated houses and develop probabilistic prediction models of the health effects to explore the health risks of residents and the potential contributions of multilayer wood materials responsible for indoor pollutants. In living rooms and bedrooms, the average concentrations of formaldehyde and TVOCs in closed window conditions were higher than those in opened window conditions. Multi-layer wooden structures were a significant predictor of indoor VOC concentrations in houses. The 95 percentile values of Monte Carlo simulations (MCS P95) of the hazard index and cancer risk were lower and slightly higher than the acceptable level, respectively. Prediction models for the concentrations of formaldehyde and selected VOCs in newly renovated houses were first established using probabilistic and sensitive approaches. The multi-layer wood materials, including the wooden floor, cold paint multi-layer wooden materials, and multi-layer materials for system furniture, were responsible for the contribution of these levels of formaldehyde and selected VOCs in the newly renovated houses. Our results provide a strategy for eliminating indoor pollutants emitted from construction and building/furnishing materials.

Diurnal variation and potential sources of indoor formaldehyde at elementary school, high school and university in the Centre Val de Loire region of France

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is one of the abundant indoor pollutants and has been classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Indoor HCHO at schools is particularly important due to the high occupancy density and the health effects on children. In this study, high time resolved measurement of formaldehyde concentration was conducted in the classrooms at elementary school, high school and university under normal students' activities in three different locations in the Region Centre Val de Loire-France. Indoor average formaldehyde concentrations at those three educational institutions were observed to be in the range 10.96–17.95 μg/m3, not exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline value of 100 μg/m3. As expected, ventilation was found playing an important role in the control of indoor formaldehyde concentration. After opening windows for 30 min, formaldehyde level decreased by ~25% and 38% in the classroom at the elementary school and the high school, respectively. In addition to the primary sources, the objective of this study was also to determine potential secondary sources of indoor formaldehyde in these schools by measuring the other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the classrooms by a Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS). The measurements suggest that the release of residue from tobacco smokers is one of the major sources of indoor HCHO at the high school, which increases HCHO by ~55% averagely within 1 h. Moreover, the control experiments conducted in the university suggests that VOCs such as that released from cleaning products like terpenes, can contribute to the increase of indoor formaldehyde levels through chemical reactions with ozone. This study confirms simple recommendations to reduce the indoors HCHO concentration in schools: use ventilation systems, limit the emissions like cigarette smoke or cleaning products. It also points out that the secondary sources of formaldehyde must be also considered in the classroom.

Harmful Effect of Indoor Formaldehyde on Atopic Dermatitis in Children: A Longitudinal Study.

PurposeEvidence supporting a link between indoor formaldehyde exposure and atopic dermatitis (AD) in humans is limited. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate whether AD symptoms in children could be affected by indoor formaldehyde levels in ordinary households.MethodsFifty-five children with moderate-to-severe AD aged under 18 years were enrolled as a panel. They were followed up from February 2019 through February 2020. Indoor formaldehyde levels of patients' houses and their AD symptoms were repeatedly measured on a daily basis. The generalized linear mixed model was utilized for statistical analysis. Subdivision analysis was performed by stratifying patients by sex, body mass index, presence of parental allergy, and indoor environments including mold/dampness, temperature, and relative humidity (RH).ResultsA total of 4,789 person-days of AD symptom data were collected. The average concentration of formaldehyde was 13.6 ± 16.4 ppb, with the highest value found in spring (18.1 ± 20.6 ppb). Higher levels of formaldehyde were observed when there was parental smoking, increased indoor temperature over 25.5°C, or RH over 60% (P < 0.0001). When the effect size was compared between each season after controlling for ambient particulate matter, temperature, and RH, an increase in 10 ppb of formaldehyde increased AD symptoms by 79.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 19.6–168.4) in spring and by 39.9% (95% CI, 14.3–71.2) in summer. AD symptoms in children aged 6−18 years appeared to increase significantly, whereas there was no significant increase in children under 6 years. When indoor temperature was over 25.5°C, an increase in formaldehyde by 10 ppb increased AD symptoms by 17.8% (95% CI, 3.9–33.6).ConclusionsIndoor formaldehyde can exacerbate AD symptom in children with moderate-to-severe AD, particularly in spring and summer, even at allowable levels. Thus, minimizing exposure to indoor formaldehyde may be needed for the proper management of AD in children.

Effect of Aloe vera extract for reducing formaldehyde level in tuna fish for halal and thoyyib food

This study aims to determine the effect of Aloe vera extract in reducing formaldehyde levels in tuna processed into "pindang" after being given Aloe vera extract. This type of research is experimental. The population in this study was boiled fish sold in the Sawotratap Market. This research was conducted at the Laboratory of Chemistry at the University of Muhammadiyah. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance at a significant level α = 0.05 followed by the Duncan test. The average formaldehyde concentration before being given Aloe vera extract at a concentration of 0% is equal to 23.7 mg / L, and the lowest formalin content in boiled fish with 100% treatment is equal to 5.6 mg / L. Aloe vera extract showed a significant decrease in formaldehyde levels in boiled fish (p &lt;0.05). It can be concluded that the administration of Aloe vera extract is effective in reducing formaldehyde levels.

Active Complexes on Engineered Crystal Facets of MnOx-CeO2 and Scale-Up Demonstration on an Air Cleaner for Indoor Formaldehyde Removal.

Crystal facet-dominated surfaces determine the formation of surface-active complexes, and engineering specific facets is desirable for improving the catalytic activity of routine transition-metal oxides that often deactivate at low temperatures. Herein, MnOx-CeO2 was synthetically administered to tailor the exposure of three major facets, and their distinct surface-active complexes concerning the formation and quantitative effects of oxygen vacancies, catalytically active zones, and active-site behaviors were unraveled. Compared with two other low-index facets {110} and {001}, MnOx-CeO2 with exposed {111} facet showed higher activity for formaldehyde oxidation and CO2 selectivity. However, the {110} facet did not increase activity despite generating additional oxygen vacancies. Oxygen vacancies were highly stable on the {111} facet, and its bulk lattice oxygen at high migration rates could replenish the consumption of surface lattice oxygen, which was associated with activity and stability. High catalytically active regions were exposed at the {111}-dominated surfaces, wherein the predominated Lewis acid-base properties facilitated oxygen mobility and activation. The mineralization pathways of formaldehyde were examined by a combination of in situ X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectrometry. The MnOx-CeO2-111 catalysts were subsequently scaled up to work as filter substrates in a household air cleaner. In in-field pilot tests, 8 h of exposure to an average concentration of formaldehyde after start-up of the air cleaner attained the Excellent Class of Indoor Air Quality Objectives in Hong Kong.

Seasonal and diurnal characteristics of carbonyls in the urban atmosphere of Changsha, a mountainous city in south-central China

Seasonal and diurnal variations of carbonyl compounds were investigated in the ambient air of a mountainous city in China, from September 2014 to July 2015. The most abundant carbonyl compounds are formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone, propionaldehyde and methacryladehyde (MACR), which were all measured in most samples. The average concentrations of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, propionaldehyde and MACR in the atmosphere in Changsha were broken down into each season: 6.57, 3.29, 3.66, 0.67 and 0.54 μg/m3 respectively during Spring, 14.09, 8.28, 9.02, 1.28 and 0.6 μg/m3, respectively during Summer, 9.24, 5.48, 8.62, 0.73 and 0.62 μg/m3, respectively during Autumn, and 5.88, 4.84, 7.84, 0.87 and 0.26 μg/m3 respectively during Winter. And majority of the species had higher concentration during noon, showing photochemical oxidation and human activities played an important role in diurnal variation. The highest average C1/C2 (formaldehyde/acetaldehyde) ratio was observed in summer (2.10) compared to those (1.33–2.03) in other seasons, implying the photochemical activities had a positive effect on increasing the ratio of C1/C2. In this study, the monthly concentration of formaldehyde produced from isoprene accounts for 4.8%–39.1% of formaldehyde in ambient air. Strong correlation among some carbonyl compounds means that they came from the same sources. Photochemical reaction was the main source of carbonyl compounds in summer and vehicular exhaust (gasoline and diesel engines) in winter. Changsha is not a completely urbanized city and it is rich in vegetation of broadleaf evergreen shrubs. Both atmospheric photochemical reactions and anthropogenic sources, including vehicular exhaust and industrial processes, dominate the levels of carbonyls. The ILTCR and HQ values of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde are 1.23E-04 and 1.34E-05, 2.80E-01 and 1.86E-01, respectively.

AIR POLLUTION RISK TO HEALTH OF THE POPULATION OF THE CITIES SAMARA AND NOVOKUIBYSHEVSK

There are presented results of the analysis of a risk to public health of cities of Samara and Novokuibyshevsk. We assessed the content of harmful substances in the air at fixed stations located within the city boundaries on a well-ventilated area. The risk to health is calculated in accordance with the R 2.1.10.1920-04. During the period 2014-2015 we fixed the impurity concentration in excess of the average daily maximal permissible concentrations of carcinogens of the first and second classes of danger (benzo[a]pyrene and formaldehyde), as well as ammonia, which has a general toxic effect. The average concentration of phenol and formaldehyde within the territory of the city of Novokuibyshevsk were in the range of the average daily maximal permissible concentrations. Within the city of Samara in the air annual average concentrations of formaldehyde, only slightly exceeding the daily maximal permissible concentrations value of 1.39 in 2015 were registered. The total cancer risk to public health in the city of Samara as a whole for the period 2014-2015 amounted to 2.77·10-4, the total hazard index - 18.35. For the health of the population of the city of Novokuibyshevsk the level of total cancer risk is equal to 1.37·10-4, the total hazard index - 14.64. Hexavalent chromium, formaldehyde and benzene seem to be main pollutants that form the total level of carcinogenic risk to public health in the cities of Samara and Novokuibyshevsk. Copper (I place ranking), contained in large quantities in the emissions of non-ferrous metallurgy is the priority chemical, forming the total index of the risk of developing non-carcinogenic effects in the population of the city of Samara and Novokuibyshevsk. Petrochemicals are related with the values of the total cancer risk and total hazard index unacceptable for public health in cities of Samara and Novokuibyshevsk and require planned measures aimed at improving the environment in the near future.

Formaldehyde Exposure in Indoor Air From Public Places and Its Associated Health Risks in Kunshan City, China.

This study assessed the noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks associated with formaldehyde exposure for employees working in 4 categories of public places in Kunshan City in China. A total of 564 different public places, which can be divided into 4 categories (hotel and social interaction places, bathing and beauty places, cultural and entertainment places, and shopping places), and 2716 indoor air samples in those places were measured from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2015. The average concentration of formaldehyde was 0.57 mg/m3, which is 5.7 times the acceptable concentration level (0.1 mg/m3). The noncarcinogenic risk assessment index for the 4 categories of places tested was above 1. The carcinogenic risk of formaldehyde for employees of the 4 categories of public places was 4.70 × 10-5 to 1.57 × 10-4, which was greater than the acceptable carcinogenic risk probability (1 × 10-6) from the US Environmental Protection Agency. The highest carcinogenic risk occurred in bathing and beauty places, and male employee carcinogenic risk was greater than that of females. Occupational formaldehyde exposure has serious noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks for employees, and further research is needed to improve indoor air quality in the workplace environment.

A study of air pollution with formaldehyde along the highways in Kyiv city.

The problem of air pollution in the cities of Ukraine was described. The methodology of calculation of hydrocarbon emission on automobile overpasses and crossroads of Kyiv was suggested. By the number of bands, the number of cars was determined. The calculation has shown that at the same time near 300 cars can be on the overpass during peak hours. The average concentration of formaldehyde according to the calculations and observation data in 2016 was presented.

Medición de concentraciones de formaldehído en un laboratorio de anatomía humana, comparándolas con estándares internacionales

Introducción. El Laboratorio de Anatomía Humana dispone de cadáveres que han sido sometidos al proceso de fijación y conservación de tejidos mediante la aplicación de formaldehído (al 10%), sustancia tóxica y cancerígena para el ser humano, según lo estipulado por la International Agency for Research on Cancer (iarc), a la que están expuestos estudiantes, profesores y técnicos. La presente investigación tuvo como propósito medir las concentraciones de formaldehído en el ambiente dentro de las instalaciones de un laboratorio de Anatomía Humana y compararlas con estándares laborales internacionales. Metodología. El diseño del estudio fue transversal con enfoque descriptivo. La muestra del estudio fue de 640 mediciones realizadas con el aparato digital hal-hfx105 HalTech y aplicando la norma técnica de prevención ntp 587, validada para la determinación de gases y vapores orgánicos en el aire dentro del laboratorio. Resultado. La concentración de formaldehído promedio estimada en general dentro de las instalaciones del Laboratorio de Anatomía fue de 0.24 ppm. ConclusIón. El promedio de concentración de formaldehído encontrado en el presente estudio es inferior al límite de exposición profesional estimado por la American Conference of Industrial Hygienists (acgih), cuyo valor tlv-twa (Threshold Limit Value-Time Weighted Average) para un día laboral de 8 horas y una semana de 40 horas, y como límite máximo a las concentraciones que cualquier trabajador puede ser expuesto día tras día sin efectos adversos, es de 0.3 ppm.CREA CIENCIA Vol. 11 No 1-2 ISSN 1818-202X enero-diciembre 2017, p. 7-13

Indoor air quality in an Antarctic Research Station: Fungi, particles and aldehyde concentrations associated with building materials and architectural design

Antarctic buildings are enclosed structures, which provide shelter and logistic support to researchers and personnel who remain indoors for long periods and can be affected by air pollution caused by construction materials and activities inside buildings. This study aims to investigate the indoor air quality at the Brazilian Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station based on measurements of aldehydes, particulate matter and fungi conducted during the Antarctic summer in 2012. The sampling site was divided in conditioned (personnel living quarters) and unconditioned (service and utilities areas) compartments and outdoor sites. A field log book was used to record the activities in the station. Furniture and plywood coverings may have contributed to high average concentrations of formaldehyde. Cooking resulted in high average levels of acrolein and fine particles in most of the monitored environments. Other activities such as cleaning, use of personal and cosmetic products, waste incineration, building maintenance and movement of people and vehicles have also contributed to particles concentration increase. Dominance of the species Aspergillus versicolor and Penicillium sp. showed potential means of fungal proliferation. Considering that the functionality and operation are similar in many Antarctic buildings, some general recommendations were outlined.

Evaluation of formaldehyde concentration in the ambient air of a most populated Iranian city, Tehran

Exposure to high levels of formaldehyde is known as both acute and chronic health problems, but the studies analyzing ambient concentrations of formaldehyde, especially in Middle East cities such as Tehran, are still rare. The aim of this study is to survey the variations in the concentration of formaldehyde in several areas with a high traffic volume of Tehran city during different seasons. The other objectives include understanding the influence of carbon monoxide, ozone and nitrogen dioxide concentrations, ambient temperature, relative humidity, and air pressure on the variation of formaldehyde concentration. Measurements were carried out during the period of 6 months between 2013 (December 22 to February 14) and 2014 (April 27 to June 20 at five different locations within the city, together with a background site. One hundred and eight samples, each averaged over 3 hours from 11 AM to 2PM, were taken from the sampling locations. The average concentration of formaldehyde in the spring (22.7±5.3 ppb) was found about 1.31 times higher than winter (17.3±4.2ppb). Formaldehyde concentrations demonstrated a significant correlation with the changes in air temperature (in the range of 0.46 to 0.66 for different locations) but not having any strong correlation with humidity and pressure. Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide showed a significant coefficient of determination with formaldehyde concentrations with R2 as 0.80 and 0.67 during the winter, respectively, whereas the corresponding R2 values during spring were 0.39 and 0.41. Ozone showed a significant correlation with formaldehyde (R2=0.64) during the spring and has not such the significant correlation during the season winter (R2=0.23). Overall, it concluded that Road vehicles were recognized as main contributor of formaldehyde production during both the seasons, especially in the winter, also photochemical oxidation was another important and considerable contributor producing formaldehyde during the spring.

Study on Distribution Law of Indoor Formaldehyde Concentration under Natural Ventilation Condition in Severe Cold Area

With the increase in housing tightness, decoration materials diversity and universality, the phenomenon of excessive formaldehyde is becoming serious. Natural ventilation is a kind of green energy saving passive technology, which is also an effective way to solve indoor air pollution. In this paper, Fluent software is used to simulate and analyze the influence of the air inlet temperature and different height on the concentration distribution of formaldehyde under the condition of natural ventilation. The results show that reducing the temperature of the air outlet can help to reduce the concentration of formaldehyde pollutants. The area of formaldehyde concentration less than 0.08 mg/m3 increased by 2.6% -6.4%. When the outlet temperature is 270K (T=270K), the average formaldehyde concentration in the room is 0.083mg/m3. When T = 290K, the average formaldehyde concentration in the room reached 0.91mg/m3.

Оценка риска здоровью населения Самары и Новокуйбышевска от загрязнения атмосферного воздуха

There are presented results of the analysis of a risk to public health of cities of Samara and Novokuibyshevsk. We assessed the content of harmful substances in the air at fixed stations located within the city boundaries on a well-ventilated area. The risk to health is calculated in accordance with the R 2.1.10.1920-04. During the period 2014-2015 we fixed the impurity concentration in excess of the average daily maximal permissible concentrations of carcinogens of the first and second classes of danger (benzo[a]pyrene and formaldehyde), as well as ammonia, which has a general toxic effect. The average concentration of phenol and formaldehyde within the territory of the city of Novokuibyshevsk were in the range of the average daily maximal permissible concentrations. Within the city of Samara in the air annual average concentrations of formaldehyde, only slightly exceeding the daily maximal permissible concentrations value of 1.39 in 2015 were registered. The total cancer risk to public health in the city of Samara as a whole for the period 2014-2015 amounted to 2.77·10-4, the total hazard index - 18.35. For the health of the population of the city of Novokuibyshevsk the level of total cancer risk is equal to 1.37·10-4, the total hazard index - 14.64. Hexavalent chromium, formaldehyde and benzene seem to be main pollutants that form the total level of carcinogenic risk to public health in the cities of Samara and Novokuibyshevsk. Copper (I place ranking), contained in large quantities in the emissions of non-ferrous metallurgy is the priority chemical, forming the total index of the risk of developing non-carcinogenic effects in the population of the city of Samara and Novokuibyshevsk. Petrochemicals are related with the values of the total cancer risk and total hazard index unacceptable for public health in cities of Samara and Novokuibyshevsk and require planned measures aimed at improving the environment in the near future.

Development of a mathematical model of the process of biological treatment of gasous effluents from formaldehyde

Experimental studies found the kinetic characteristics of oxidation of formaldehyde in gaseous effluents by microbial association. The quantitative values of the kinetic characteristics of formaldehyde destruction indicate the technological possibility of using a biological method of treatment of gaseous effluents from formaldehyde. It is found that the specific rate of oxidation of formaldehyde (CH 2 O) depends on its concentration and a maximum biomass - 45 and 275 mg/g for aerobic and anaerobic processes, respectively. This fact testifies to higher efficiency of formaldehyde detoxification under anaerobic denitrification than under aerobic oxidation. On the basis of experimental studies, a mathematical description of the processes occurring in the filled reactor vessel due to changes in the concentration of inflowing pollutants is developed. Using the found analytical relationships, an algorithm to calculate the changes in the average formaldehyde concentration in the vessel under continuous pollution is elaborated. The results allow making science-based design calculations of the process of biochemical treatment of formaldehyde.

Respiratory Symptoms due to Occupational Exposure to Formaldehyde and MDF Dust in a MDF Furniture Factory in Eastern Thailand.

The study aimed to investigate factors associated with respiratory symptoms in workers in a medium-density fiberboard (MDF) furniture factory in Eastern Thailand. Data were collected from 439 employees exposed to formaldehyde and MDF dust using questionnaire and personal sampler (Institute of Occupational Medicine; IOM). The average concentration of formaldehyde from MDF dust was 2.62 ppm (SD 367), whereas the average concentration of MDF dust itself was 7.67 mg/m3 (SD 3.63). Atopic allergic history was a factor associated with respiratory irritation symptoms and allergic symptoms among the workers exposed to formaldehyde and were associated with respiratory irritation symptoms and allergic symptoms among those exposed to MDF dust. Exposure to MDF dust at high level (>5 mg/m3) was associated with respiratory irritation symptoms and allergic symptoms. Excluding allergic workers from the study population produced the same kind of results in the analysis as in all workers. The symptoms were associated with the high concentrations of formaldehyde and MDF dust in this factory. If the concentration of MDF dust was >5 mg/m3, the risk of irritation and allergic symptoms in the respiratory system increased. The respiratory health of the employees with atopic allergic history exposed to formaldehyde and MDF dust should be monitored closely.

Formaldehyde in Urban Air

The properties of formaldehyde in the environment, approaches to the valuation of its content in the air, measuring techniques, and the main sources of its releases to the environment are discussed. An overview of the measured concentrations of formaldehyde in the air in the cities of Belarus and other CIS countries, Europe and the USA. It is shown that the average concentration of formaldehyde in ambient air of cities of the CIS as a whole are close to the average annual levels of content in the cities of Europe and somewhat lower than in the U.S.

Aldehydes in relation to air pollution sources: A case study around the Beijing Olympics

This study was carried out to characterize three aldehydes of health concern (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein) at a central Beijing site in the summer and early fall of 2008 (from June to October). Aldehydes in polluted atmospheres come from both primary and secondary sources, which limits the control strategies for these reactive compounds. Measurements were made before, during, and after the Beijing Olympics to examine whether the dramatic air pollution control measures implemented during the Olympics had an impact on concentrations of the three aldehydes and their underlying primary and secondary sources. Average concentrations of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acrolein were 29.3 ± 15.1 μg/m3, 27.1 ± 15.7 μg/m3 and 2.3 ± 1.0 μg/m3, respectively, for the entire period of measurements, all being at the high end of concentration ranges measured in cities around the world in photochemical smog seasons. Formaldehyde and acrolein increased during the pollution control period compared to the pre-Olympic Games, followed the changing pattern of temperature, and were significantly correlated with ozone and with a secondary formation factor identified by principal component analysis (PCA). In contrast, acetaldehyde had a reduction in mean concentration during the Olympic air pollution control period compared to the pre-Olympic period and was significantly correlated with several pollutants emitted from local emission sources (e.g., NO2, CO, and PM2.5). Acetaldehyde was also more strongly associated with primary emission sources including vegetative burning and oil combustion factors identified through the PCA. All three aldehydes were lower during the post-Olympic sampling period compared to the before and during Olympic periods, likely due to seasonal and regional effects. Our findings point to the complexity of source control strategies for secondary pollutants.